It’s been a busy few months for gamers, with plenty of quality releases competing for our attention. Like most players, I often find myself wishing there were more hours in the day to experience everything on offer. When I first saw previews for Gravhounds, I immediately knew it was a game I wanted to check out for myself. This unique co-op sci-fi adventure has caught the eye of many players looking for something different on Xbox Series X|S. Although Gravhounds is still part of the Xbox Game Preview programme, it already offers a surprising amount of content and plenty of reasons to invest some serious gameplay hours. Better yet, Xbox Game Pass subscribers can jump straight into the full experience at no extra cost, making it an easy recommendation for anyone curious about this quirky space-dog adventure.
An Engaging Blend of Shooting & Survival
It’s impossible to talk about Gravhounds without comparing it to Helldivers 2, as both games share a similar co-op-focused structure and chaotic combat encounters. However, while the inspiration is clear, Gravhounds quickly establishes its own identity. Players choose from a roster of genetically engineered canine heroes before dropping onto hostile alien worlds to complete objectives, gather resources, construct defences, and survive relentless waves of enemies. Whether you’re playing solo or teaming up with friends online, success depends on careful planning and decision-making. One of the most engaging aspects of the gameplay is the constant risk-versus-reward balance. Do you stay longer to secure better loot and resources, or extract early before the situation spirals into complete chaos? That tension gives every mission a sense of excitement and unpredictability.
While Gravhounds isn’t a story-driven experience, it doesn’t need to be. The real strength of this Xbox Series X|S co-op shooter lies in its addictive gameplay loop. Combat is consistently enjoyable, but there’s much more to do than simply shooting enemies. Between gathering resources, expanding your base, setting up defensive structures, and preparing for extraction, players are constantly engaged with meaningful objectives. This is where Gravhounds separates itself from many other games in the genre. Rather than being a straightforward shooter, it blends the best elements of an extraction shooter, survival game, and base-building strategy title into one cohesive package. The result is a unique and rewarding multiplayer experience that keeps you coming back for just one more mission.
The Grav Beam Adds a Fresh Twist to Every Scenario
One of Gravhounds’ biggest strengths is its weapon variety, with an arsenal that caters to a range of playstyles. As players progress through the game, additional weapons become available, including familiar favourites such as shotguns, sniper rifles, and grenade launchers, each offering unique advantages during combat. Whether you prefer getting up close to enemy hordes or supporting your team from a distance, there’s enough variety to keep firefights feeling fresh throughout.
However, the standout feature of Gravhounds is undoubtedly the Grav Beam. More than just a utility tool, this gravity-based device plays a central role in both exploration and combat. Players can use it to move equipment, construct defences, relocate valuable resources, and manipulate objects across the battlefield. The Grav Beam truly comes into its own during combat encounters, allowing you to launch objects at enemies, create improvised attacks, and generate plenty of unpredictable moments. This mechanic adds a unique layer of creativity to the gameplay and often results in some genuinely hilarious scenarios when playing with friends. It is this blend of strategic utility and chaotic fun that helps Gravhounds stand out among other co-op shooters on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Game Pass.
Bright, Vibrant & Built for Co-Op Chaos
Performance on Xbox Series X is one of Gravhounds’ strongest features. Throughout my time with the game, it consistently targeted a smooth 60 frames per second, with no noticeable frame drops, screen tearing, or visual hiccups. Even during the most chaotic encounters, where enemy hordes flood the screen alongside turrets, explosions, and player-built structures, the framerate remained impressively stable. For a title currently available through the Xbox Game Preview programme, the level of optimisation is particularly encouraging.
Visually, Gravhounds embraces a colourful and vibrant sci-fi art style that helps it stand apart from other cooperative shooters on Xbox. The alien worlds are packed with striking colours, detailed environments, and imaginative enemy designs, creating a memorable visual identity from the moment you land on a planet. Playing on a large 4K display really allows the game’s bold art direction to shine, with some of the landscapes offering surprisingly impressive views between the frantic firefights and resource-gathering activities.
The concept of “Helldivers with dogs” might sound unusual at first, but it works remarkably well in practice. The canine characters bring charm and personality to the experience, helping Gravhounds appeal to a wider audience while maintaining its action-packed gameplay. Each playable hound features its own distinct look, abilities, and identity, making character selection feel meaningful rather than purely cosmetic.
While there is still room for additional visual polish as development continues, the overall presentation is already in a strong place. Combined with its excellent performance on Xbox Series X|S, eye-catching art direction, and smooth gameplay experience, Gravhounds delivers a polished and visually appealing co-op adventure that looks every bit as fun as it is to play.
Final Thoughts
Gravhounds is one of the most enjoyable co-op shooters currently available on Xbox Series X|S, especially for players who enjoy games like Helldivers 2. While there are clear similarities in its mission-based structure and chaotic battles against overwhelming enemy forces, Gravhounds carves out its own identity through its clever base-building mechanics, resource management systems, and tower-defence gameplay. Combat feels satisfying throughout, with responsive gunplay and plenty of opportunities for teamwork. Although the game can be played solo, it is at its best when experienced with friends online, where the cooperative gameplay creates memorable and often hilarious moments as you battle alien hordes together. Despite still being part of the Xbox Game Preview programme, the core gameplay loop already feels polished, rewarding, and highly addictive.
For fans searching for a fresh multiplayer experience on Xbox Game Pass, Gravhounds delivers exactly the kind of cooperative adventure many players have been waiting for. Developer Octopus Panic has laid strong foundations, combining action, strategy, and teamwork into a package that feels both familiar and unique. Looking ahead, additional content updates and quality-of-life improvements have the potential to elevate the experience even further.
If you fancy picking up this one for yourself, you can purchase your copy for Xbox Series X/S HERE.
Overall
80%
CX Score - 80%
80%
Summary
Pros
Brilliant co-op gameplay which is fantastic fun with friends
Addictive and satisfying gameplay with a great blend of shooting, resource gathering, base-building, survival and extraction
Stunning performance on Xbox Series X
Xbox Play Anywhere enabled and available on Xbox Game Pass
Family-friendly and appeals to gamers of all abilities
Cons
Solo play doesn’t seem as enjoyable as playing with friends
Some may find some aspects of the game repetitive
Plenty of areas need more attention, but this is a Game Preview after all
